Pass the Gift Christmas Game Free Printable Guide – Looking for a Pass the Gift Christmas game free printable you can use tonight? This holiday party game is one of the easiest gift exchanges for U.S. families, classrooms, church groups, and office parties. You print a story or instruction card, wrap one gift or several, and pass presents left and right until someone keeps what they are holding.
No White Elephant stealing wars. No picking numbers out of a bowl. Just a printable, a wrapped gift, and a circle of people.
This page explains how the game works, what to print on standard U.S. Letter paper (8.5″ x 11″), and where to download legitimate free files.
What Is the Pass the Gift Christmas Game?
The Pass the Gift Christmas game (also called Pass the Present, Pass the Parcel, or the Left Right Christmas game) is a group gift exchange. Players sit in a circle. A host reads a short holiday story or prompt list. Every time the reader says “left” or “right,” the gift moves that way.
When the story ends, the person holding the present keeps it.
There are three common versions in the United States:
- Story / Left-Right game: One wrapped gift (or one gift per person) moves on every “left” and “right” in a printed poem.
- Prompt / riddle game: The printable tells you who gets the gift next (“pass it to the person wearing the most red”).
- Dice game: Players roll a die. Each number means pass, swap, steal, or unwrap.
All three work for mixed-age family gatherings and for classroom parties where you only need a few small prizes.
How to Play the Left-Right Story Version?
This is the version most people mean when they search for a Pass the Gift Christmas game free printable.
- Print the story on U.S. Letter paper.
- Sit in a circle. Decide whether you will use one gift or one gift per player.
- Give the starting gift to one person (often the youngest guest).
- Read the story slowly and clearly.
- Pass left when you hear “left.” Pass right when you hear “right.”
- When the last line is read, whoever is holding a gift keeps it and opens it.
One-gift play works well for small groups and classrooms. One-gift-per-person play works better for office parties and family reunions, because everyone goes home with something.
Tip for hosts: practice reading the story once. If you rush, people miss the cues and the circle falls apart.
How to Play the Dice Version?
The dice version is louder and faster. It is a good fit for adult Friendsmas parties and office holiday events.
Typical setup:
- Each guest brings one wrapped gift in a set price range ($10, $15, or $25 is common in the U.S.).
- Sit in a circle with a single six-sided die and a printed rule card.
- Players take turns rolling. The group follows the number on the card.
- When the host calls the last round, you keep whatever gift is in your hands.
A common rule set looks like this:
- 1 — Unwrap your gift, or tell someone else to unwrap
- 2 — Trade with the person on your right
- 3 — Everyone passes right
- 4 — Trade with the person on your left
- 5 — Everyone passes left
- 6 — Steal any gift
Print the rule card and keep it in the center of the table so nobody has to remember the chart.
What You Need Before You Print?
Keep the supply list short:
- A Pass the Gift Christmas game free printable (story, prompt list, or dice card)
- One wrapped gift, or one gift per guest
- A circle of chairs or floor space
- A reader (or a phone if you prefer to keep the PDF on screen)
- Optional: one six-sided die for the dice version
- Optional: gift bags instead of wrapping paper, which speeds up passing
For classroom parties, use stickers, candy canes, bookmarks, or $5 toys. For family and office events, set a clear dollar cap so no one overspends.
Where to Get a Free Printable (Verified)?
These five sources offer free game pages you can print for personal, family, or classroom use. Some require a free account or a click-through page. None of the links below are paid Etsy listings.
1. In The Playroom — Christmas Pass the Gift story
This page includes a ready-to-read Pass the Gift poem with passing cues such as “youngest one,” “wearing a sweater,” and “biggest feet.” The printable is free for personal, school, and community use.
Download the Christmas Pass the Gift game printable
2. Printables for Life — four Left-Right-Across stories (U.S. Letter)
This U.S. Letter PDF includes original holiday stories with LEFT, RIGHT, and ACROSS cues, festive borders, and a two-column layout that is easy to read aloud. No email signup is required for the file.
Get the free Christmas Left Right passing game PDF
3. Two Kids and a Coupon — Pass the Present instruction sheets
This U.S. family site offers a free two-page Christmas Pass the Present printable for large groups. You can play with one gift or one gift per person. Click the game images on the post to open the PDF.
Print the Christmas Pass the Present game
4. Savvy Swarey — Pass the Present dice card
If you want the dice version instead of a story, this free instruction card lists each roll and how to end the game. No email wall.
Download the free Pass the Present dice printable
5. Teachers Pay Teachers — Santa Claus Is Coming to Town Pass the Gift
This $0 classroom freebie uses the familiar song. Students sing, listen for left and right, and keep the gift they are holding when the song ends. A free TPT account is required to download.
Get the free Santa Pass the Gift lyric sheet
If a site asks for an email, that is usually how the creator sends the file. Avoid any listing that charges for a “free” download or only offers the file after a paid checkout.
Pass the Gift Christmas Game Free Printable Guide
How to Print It the Easy Way?
Most of these files are designed for U.S. Letter (8.5″ x 11″).
- Choose “Actual Size” or “100%” in your printer dialog. Do not use “Fit to Page” if the design has colored borders.
- Print the story on regular copy paper. Cardstock is nicer for a dice rule card you will reuse.
- Make a backup copy for the reader.
- If you host this every year, laminate the instruction page.
No printer at home? Email the PDF to a local library, Staples, Office Depot, or Walgreens print counter.
Gift Ideas That Work in This Game
Because gifts get passed quickly, choose items that are easy to hold and hard to smash.
Under $10
Hot cocoa mix, fuzzy socks, candy, playing cards, a small candle, lip balm, or a $5 coffee gift card.
$10–$25
A mug, puzzle, kitchen gadget, cozy blanket, or streaming gift card.
Classroom prizes
Stickers, erasers, mini notebooks, slime, or a class-wide treat the winner shares.
Skip glass, leftover food, or anything that needs to stay upright. Gift bags beat tightly wrapped boxes when kids are passing at full speed.
Host Tips for Family, Office, and Classroom Parties
- Explain left and right before the first line. Point to each direction once.
- For young kids, use one gift and a short story.
- For office parties, use one gift per person and a printed dice card so the game does not stall.
- If gifts land back with the people who brought them, add one extra “everyone pass left” line at the end.
- Skip any prompt that does not fit your group (for example, “longest beard” at a kids’ party).
- Keep the reader standing so everyone can hear.
The game usually lasts 5 to 15 minutes. That makes it a strong icebreaker before dinner or after a classroom party snack.
Pass the Gift vs. White Elephant vs. Secret Santa
Use Pass the Gift when you want something faster and less competitive than White Elephant. There is no stealing after the story ends. Use White Elephant when your group likes strategy and roasting gifts. Use Secret Santa when people want a planned, one-to-one present.
Many U.S. hosts now run Pass the Gift first as a warm-up, then do a small White Elephant for a second round.
FAQ
Is there a truly free Pass the Gift Christmas game printable?
Yes. The five sources above offer free PDFs or print pages for personal and classroom use. Some need a free account. Paid Etsy versions exist too, but you do not need them to play.
Can I play with only one gift?
Yes. One gift is the classic kids’ version. The last person holding it wins.
How many people do I need?
Four players is a comfortable minimum. The game scales well to 20 or more if you use one gift per person or run two circles.
What paper size should I use in the United States?
Print on 8.5″ x 11″ U.S. Letter paper unless the file says otherwise.
Can I use this at school or church?
Most free printables allow personal, classroom, and community use. Do not resell the PDF or upload it to another website.
What if someone does not know left from right?
Have everyone hold up their left hand before you start. For little kids, the reader can point each time.
Quick Recap
Print a story or dice card. Sit in a circle. Pass the gift on every cue. Keep what you are holding when the game ends.
If you only download one file, start with a Left-Right story printable and one wrapped present. That is the lowest-prep way to run a Pass the Gift Christmas game this season.